Rosetta Genomics, a leader in medical research and product development based on microRNA, has announced that they will work with New York University Medical Center to develop a line of early detection diagnostic products for lung and mesothelioma cancers.

According to recent press releases distributed by both Rosetta and NYU, “the early detection test will mainly target over 45 million Americans who are at an increased risk of lung cancer due to smoking, as well as those who have been exposed to asbestos fibers.”

“A test that will be able to detect cancer at an early stage using a simple blood draw will have far reaching implications on the fight against cancer,” noted Dr. Harvey Pass, Professor and Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at NYU Medical Center. “MicroRNAs have been shown to hold great potential as effective biomarkers for various cancers, and I believe that NYU Medical Center’s vast experience with lung cancer and mesothelioma, coupled with Rosetta Genomics’ expertise in the microRNA field, will allow us to successfully advance this much needed test forward.”

Currently, mesothelioma is difficult to detect in its early stages as symptoms usually do not surface until decades after exposure to asbestos. Once the disease is diagnosed, it is too late for doctors to offer any sort of possible cure and treatment options are limited as well.

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